Subassembly element for a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit and refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a subassembly element for a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit, wherein the subassembly element has a front side, a rear side and two side regions, at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, and wherein at least one air guidance means is provided in the subassembly element by means of which air can be guided from the air inlet to the air outlet in the subassembly element. The invention furthermore relates to a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a subassembly element for arefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit and to a refrigerator unit and/orfreezer unit.

A so-called subassembly is usually formed for refrigerator units inwhich the refrigeration unit, the fan and the condenser are arranged inthe unit base, said subassembly then being screwed to the already foamedunit housing or to the carcass. This is relatively complicated and/orexpensive since the subassembly which is heavy in relative terms has tobe screwed to the foamed unit housing.

A further disadvantage is furthermore that these units have a so-calledhorizontal air duct, i.e. that an abrupt change in the direction of airguidance is present in these units which is due, for instance, to adeflection plate which effects a compulsory deflection in the verticaldirection of the inflowing air. An irregular flow through the condenserthus arises and also an irregular action of cooling air on thecompressor. Flow losses furthermore arise in that a non-directeddeflection by up to 180° takes place from the fan over the condenser upto the compressor and to the front-side air outlet. The heat exchangethus takes place in a very ineffective manner.

A refrigerator unit is already known from DE 297 01 474 U1 which has aunit base with a wide air inlet passage and a wide air outlet passagearranged parallel thereto. The inflowing air is, however deflected in aZ shape at the air inlet side, i.e. the air flows through the frontgrill in a first horizontal plane, is then abruptly deflected into asecond horizontal plane via a deflection wall and is directed by theunit base to this second horizontal plane. The air discharged from theunit base likewise takes place after a Z-shaped deflection so that thisunit base has a horizontal air guidance which, as already indicatedabove, is disadvantageous due to the flow losses.

EP 0 650 680 B1 discloses a base for a built-in refrigerator unit whichis placed on support rails with adjustable feet and is arranged in arecess for furniture. This base is made in trough shape and does nothave any separate air guidance so that the air flowing in at the frontside for cooling purposes is likewise swirled when flowing through thebase and thus high flow losses occur.

A unit base flowed through by refrigerating air is also known from DE 4445 286 A1 which directs the air through the base in a labyrinth-likemanner. Flow losses likewise arise due to this multiple deflection whichare not insignificant and which as a rule have to be compensated by anincreased speed of the fan.

A unit base is known from EP 0 444 461 A2 in which the air is guided onone side of the base via an inlet passage into the motor space arrangedat the rear side, flows through the motor space there without anyfurther guidance by a 90° deviation and then exits the unit base via theair deflection passage again by a 90° deviation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to further develop asubassembly element of the initially named kind in an advantageousmanner, in particular such that a subassembly element can be constructedin a simple manner, has an improved flow guidance and is preferably easyto assemble.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by asubassembly element having the features herein. Provision is therebymade that a subassembly element for a refrigerator unit and/or freezerunit has a front side, a rear side and two side regions, at least oneair inlet and at least one air outlet, with at least one air guidancemeans being provided in the subassembly element by means of which air inthe subassembly element can be guided from the air inlet to the airoutlet and with at least one heat exchanger, which is located at the rimside in the side regions of the subassembly element, being arranged in apart of the air guidance means

Provision can furthermore be made that at least one fan is arrangeddownstream or upstream of the at least one heat exchanger in the airguidance element.

It is furthermore possible that the heat exchanger is a condenser, inparticular a spiral condenser, a wire tube condenser made as a moldedpart or a coiled wire tube condenser.

It is advantageously conceivable that the air guidance means expands toa reception space for a compressor, with fastening means, in particularfastening receivers, being provided for the compressor in the receptionspace.

Provision can be made that the fan is arranged downstream of the heatexchanger and/or at the point in the air guidance means at which the airguidance means expands to the reception space.

It is furthermore possible that the subassembly element has a cut-outfor the reception and/or fastening of the inner container of therefrigerator and/or freezer unit. A simple assembly of the subassemblyelement with the inner container thereby becomes possible. For thecut-out can be utilized as an adhesive surface which engages around apart of the inner tank and which is adhered to the inner container bypouring in heat insulation material, preferably insulting foam. Ascrewing of the subassembly to the already foamed unit housing can thusbe dispensed with; an installation of the subassembly with the innercontainer and the outer wall is possible simply by the foaming which hasanyway to be carried out.

Provision can furthermore be made that the cut-out is arranged at themiddle or centrally and/or that the cut-out is molded into thesubassembly element in the manner of a trough on the upper side. Theadvantage thereby results of being able to insert the inner containersimply into the cut-out, optionally with spacers for a positioning toprepare for the installation. Foam is then advantageously injected inthe region between the cut-out and the inner container, which preferablyhas a molding adapted to the shape of the cut-out, so that thesubassembly element and the inner container are connected to oneanother.

It is furthermore conceivable that the air guidance means extends,starting from the air inlet, laterally past the cut-out, via thereception space located in the rear region of the subassembly elementand again laterally past the cut-out to the air outlet, with a heatexchanger being arranged in the part of the air guidance means whichstarts from the air inlet and with a further heat exchangersimultaneously being provided in the part of the air guidance meanswhich leads to the air outlet.

Provision can moreover be made that the air guidance means is made inpassage manner and/or that the air guidance means has a round, oval orrectangular cross-section, at least sectionally, with the oval orrectangular cross-section of the air guidance means preferably beingarranged vertically. A vertical alignment of the oval or rectangularcross-section is advantageously achieved in that the height of the airguidance means is larger than the width at this point.

It is particularly advantageous if the subassembly element is a unitbase and/or an injection molded part. A simple and inexpensiveproduction is made possible by the injection molding process. It ispreferred if an impact resistant plastic is used for this purpose.

It is furthermore conceivable that the rim-side parts of the airguidance means are partly formed by a side cover, with the side coverpreferably having one or more winding domes for the winding up of a heatexchanger tube and with the side cover further preferably being producedfrom a metallic material.

It is furthermore possible that the subassembly element has a rear wallcover which forms a closed air guidance path in conjunction with the airguidance means.

Provision can furthermore be made that a condensate collection tray oran evaporation tray is provided, with the condensate collection tray orthe evaporation tray being arranged in a front region of the subassemblyelement and/or in a region of the subassembly element accessible fromthe front. The advantage thereby results that the condensate collectiontray or the evaporation tray can be removed and emptied easily. Afterthe emptying, a simple insertion into the subassembly element can takeplace. This is in particular advantageous for hygienic reasons since adwelling of liquid in the condensate collection tray or the evaporationtray can hereby be avoided.

For example, the condensate collection tray or the evaporation tray canbe integrated into the side cover of the subassembly element and can beremoved and reintroduced from the side. A lateral removal for cleaningpurposes is thereby possible advantageously and simply.

Provision can be made that the subassembly element is made such that theat least one condenser can be inserted from the front side. Theadvantage thereby results of being able to realize an inexpensiveinstallation of the condenser since it is sufficient to push a condenserplate through the air inlet or the air outlet into the side air guidancepassage(s) of the subassembly element and to fasten it there e.g. bylatching in a shape-matched manner.

The invention furthermore relates to a refrigerator unit and/or freezerunit having the features herein. Provision is thereby made that arefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit has at least one subassemblyelement in accordance with the features herein. The refrigerator unitand/or freezer unit can be a fully integrated built under unit which isused in a built-in kitchen. It is furthermore conceivable that therefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit is a built under unit suitable fora décor panel or an insertion compartment unit which can be built under.A use as a stand-alone unit is also conceivable.

It is furthermore conceivable that the refrigerator unit and/or freezerunit is a side-by-side unit.

It is particularly advantageous if the units of the side-by-side unitarranged next to one another each have a subassembly element and if thesubassembly elements are made and/or can be used in mirror-invertedmanner to one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained inmore detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

There are shown:

FIG. 1: a perspective rear view of a subassembly element;

FIG. 2: a schematic plan view of a subassembly element;

FIG. 3: a further perspective view of the subassembly element;

FIG. 4: a further schematic plan view of a subassembly element;

FIG. 5: a further schematic plan view of a subassembly element;

FIG. 6: a schematic plan view of a subassembly element for aside-by-side unit;

FIG. 7: a perspective view of a side part of a subassembly element;

FIG. 8: a perspective view of a side cover for a side part of asubassembly element;

FIG. 9: a perspective view of a subassembly element with a laterallyremovable evaporation tray;

FIG. 10: a perspective view of the evaporation tray; and

FIG. 11: a further schematic plan view of a subassembly element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a subassembly element 10 in accordance with the presentinvention in a perspective rear view. The subassembly element 10 is madeas a unit base 10 which is produced in one part as an injection moldedpart. In this respect, the unit base 10 is an injection molded part ofimpact resistant plastic.

Without this being shown in any more detail in FIG. 1, the unit base 10has support surfaces at its lower side by means of which the unit base10 can be installed directly on the floor. At the same time oralternatively, threaded bores can be provided into which adjustable feetcan be screwed.

The pallet-like unit base 10 has a trough-like cut-out 20 at it is upperside which is provided for the reception of the inner container of therefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit.

The air inlet for the air L, whose flow path through the unit base 10 isindicated by means of corresponding arrows, takes place through thefront-side part 12 or through the air inlet 12 of the air guidance meanswhich is expanded at this point. The air guidance means or the airguidance passage narrows in width in the side part section 14 of the airguidance means or of the air guidance passage, but expands slightly inthe vertical direction since the base 15 of the side part section 14drops slightly obliquely in the downward direction.

The air L is thus guided, starting from the air inlet 12, substantiallyhorizontally and without any abrupt changes of direction with respect tothe vertical through the side part section 14 of the air guidancepassage to the motor space 16 which is formed by an expansion of the airguidance passage in the rear part of the unit base 10.

After flowing through the motor space 16, the heat L heated there entersinto the side part section 18 of the air guidance passage disposed atthe other side so that the air is guided past the cut-out 20 to the airoutlet 19 not visible in FIG. 1.

The structure shown in FIG. 1 is shown again schematically in FIG. 2which represents a schematic plan view of the unit base 10. As furtheradditionally visible in FIG. 2, the unit base 10 can be provided at thefront side with a front panel 40 which can be pushed onto the unit base10 in a depth-adjustable manner by means of side projections 42. Anadjustability and adaptability of the front panel 40 to the respectiveinstallation situation is thereby made possible. A simple depthadjustment can in particular be carried out for built-in units.

An air separation means 30 is provided to separate the air inlet 12 andthe air outlet 19 from one another, i.e. in particular to avoidshort-circuit flows. The air separation means 30 can be formed bycorresponding projections 44 in the front panel 40 which engage into acorresponding cut-out 22 in the unit base 10. Provision canalternatively or simultaneously be made that the air separation means 30includes a molded foamed part 32 which is inserted between theprojections 44 and the cut-out 22 and is held in a clamping mannerthere.

A fastening means 17 for the compressor 70 (see FIG. 3) is furthermoreprovided in the motor space 16. The fastening means 17 can be a cut-outor a receiver into which the compressor 70 can be inserted to allow asimple and fast installation.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the subassembly element 10 already shown schematicallyin FIG. 2 is shown with further installed components of a refrigeratorunit and/or freezer unit with the mode of operation of the unit base 10being able to be explained in detail with reference to this Figure. Thesame components or features are also provided with the same referencenumerals in this respect.

Cold environmental air L enters through oblique slats in the front panel40 into the air inlet 12 of the unit base 10 and then flows through theside passage 14 which has a cross-section of substantially rectangularshape with a vertical alignment, i.e. is higher than wide. The air L isguided in the passage 14 onto the condenser 50 and cools it.

A fan 60 is preferably provided downstream of the condenser 50 (see alsoFIGS. 4 and 5) and allows air L to circulate through the unit base 10.The fan 60 can alternatively also be arranged in the motor space 16 andfurthermore charges the compressor which is received in the holder 17with air L guided past the condenser 50 so that an ideal heatdissipation can also take place from the compressor. After thecompressor, the air L enters into the side passage 18 which has the sameconstruction as the side passage 14 and is in particular madesymmetrical thereto. Through the side passage 18, the air L is guidedthrough the further condenser 50′ to the air outlet 19 and there exitsvia the slats of the front panel 40 which is hidden here.

It is achieved due to the vertical alignment of the side passages 14 and18 that the actual air inflow substantially takes place at the outwardlydisposed part of the air inlet 12, while the outflow of the air L heatedin the unit base 10 takes place at the outwardly disposed part of theair outlet 19. The inflowing cold airflow L and the outflowing hotairflow L are thus maximally spaced apart from one another.

The airflow is furthermore substantially guided on a horizontal plane,whereby flow losses can be avoided. The air inlet and the air outlet aswell as the air guidance in the unit base 10 extend horizontally on thesame plane, with the expansion in the side passages 14 and 18 beingneglected in this observation. There is thus no deflection of theairflow with respect to the vertical in accordance with the invention sothat the flow resistances are kept small. It thereby becomes possible tooperate the fan 60 at a comparatively low speed so that the noise levelin operation can be reduced.

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment variant of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 which differs in that a first fan 60 is arrangeddownstream of the condenser 50 in the transition from the side passage15 to the motor space 16 and in that a second fan 60′ is arranged in thetransition from the motor space 16 to the side passage 18 to achieve anideal air circulation in the unit base 10.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic plan view of the two unit bases 10 of aside-by-side unit, with the unit bases 10 each being identical, butbeing used in mirror inversion with respect to the air guidance.Features and components already known from the above-described Figuresare provided with the same reference numerals. In the embodiment shownin FIG. 6, of a side-by-side unit, the air, as already described inconnection with FIGS. 3 to 5, flows through the inlet 12 over thecondenser 50 arranged in the side passage 14 in the unit base 10 shownat the right, with a fan 60 being arranged downstream of the condenser50. A mirror inverted process takes place in the unit base 10 arrangedat the left. The inlets 12 are thus each arranged outwardly disposed andthe air outlets 19 inwardly disposed in the side-by-side unit shown inFIG. 6. Short-circuit flows are thus advantageously avoided.

FIG. 7 shows a side wall for a unit base 10 in a perspectiverepresentation, with a cover 100 being inserted in the side wall andbeing able to be used as an additional heat exchanger. The cover 100 isin this respect shown further in FIG. 8 without the side wall and ispreferably made of metal for an improved heat reception and is inheat-conductive contact with the condenser 50. The cover 100 can be madeas a metal part with lugs set through and can be adhesively bonded in anairtight manner with the side wall by means of an adhesive film so thatthe side wall and the cover produce an airtight wall. The cover 100 cane.g. be a continuous cast part or a zinc die cast part.

FIG. 9 shows a part of a subassembly element 10 in a perspectiverepresentation in a further embodiment, with the evaporation tray 110′being integrated into a side cover 100′ of the subassembly element 10and being made as laterally removable and reinsertable. The evaporationtray 110′ is in this respect accessible from the front and can hereby beeasily removed for cleaning purposes and reinserted again afterward. Theouter wall 112′ of the evaporation tray 110′ in this respect itselfforms the outer wall of the side cover 100′ of the subassembly element10. As is further shown in FIG. 9, a condenser 50 is arranged behind theevaporation tray 110′ and can be pushed into the subassembly element 10from the front side, through the air outlet 19 here.

FIG. 10 shows the evaporation tray 100′ shown in FIG. 9 in a perspectiverepresentation. As shown here, the evaporation tray 110′ has a pluralityof latch elements 120′ by means of which the evaporation tray 110′ canbe latched in the subassembly element 10.

FIG. 11 shows, in a schematic plan view of the subassembly element 10,how the condenser 50 shown in FIG. 9 is in each case arranged at bothsides in the side passages of the subassembly element 10 and can in eachcase be pushed in at the front side through the air inlet 12 or throughthe air outlet 19. In this respect, a respective fan 60 is associatedwith each condenser 50.

1. A subassembly element (10) for a refrigerator unit and/or freezerunit, wherein the subassembly element (10) has a front side, a rear sideand two side regions, at least one air inlet (12) and at least one airoutlet (19), and wherein at least one air guidance means is provided inthe subassembly element (10) by which air can be guided from the airinlet (12) to the air outlet (19) in the subassembly element (10), andat least one heat exchanger (50, 50′) is arranged in a part (14, 18) ofthe air guidance means and is located at the rim side in the sideregions of the subassembly element (10).
 2. A subassembly element (10)in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one fan (60) is arranged inthe air guidance element downstream or upstream of the at least one heatexchanger (50, 50′).
 3. A subassembly element (10) in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (50, 50′) is a condenser (50, 50′),in particular a spiral condenser, a wire tube condenser made as a moldedpart or a coiled wire tube condenser.
 4. A subassembly element (10) inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the air guidance means expands to areceiver space (16) for a compressor, with fastening means, inparticular fastening receivers (17), being provided for the compressorin the receiver space (16).
 5. A subassembly element (10) in accordancewith claim 4, wherein the fan (60, 60′) is arranged downstream of theheat exchanger (50, 50′) and/or at the point in the air guidance meansat which the air guidance means expands to the receiver space (16).
 6. Asubassembly element (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein thesubassembly unit (10) has a cut-out (20) for the reception and/orfastening of the inner container of the refrigerator and/or freezerunit.
 7. A subassembly element (10) in accordance with claim 6, whereinthe cut-out (20) is arranged at the middle or centrally; and/or in thatthe cut-out (20) is molded into the subassembly element (10) intrough-form at the upper side.
 8. A subassembly element (10) inaccordance with claim, wherein the air guidance means, starting from theair inlet (12), extends laterally past the cut-out (20) over thereceiver space (16) located in the rear region of the subassemblyelement (10) again laterally past the cut-out (20) to the air outlet(19), with a heat exchanger (50) preferably being arranged in the partof the air guidance means which starts from the air inlet (12) and witha further heat exchanger (50′) simultaneously being arranged in the partof the air guidance means which leads to the air outlet (19).
 9. Asubassembly element (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the airguidance means is made in passage form; and/or the air guidance meanshas a round, oval or rectangular cross-section at least sectionally,with the oval or rectangular cross-section of the air guidance meanspreferably being aligned vertically.
 10. A subassembly element (10) inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the subassembly element (10) is a unitbase (10) and/or an injection molded part.
 11. A subassembly element(10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rim-side parts of the airguidance means are partly formed by a side cover (100), with the sidecover (100) preferably having one or more winding domes for the windingup of a heat exchanger tube and with the side cover (100) furtherpreferably being produced from a metallic material.
 12. A subassemblyelement (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the subassembly element(10) has a rear wall cover which forms a closed air guidance path inconjunction with the air guidance means.
 13. A subassembly element (10)in accordance with claim 1, wherein a condensate collection tray (110′)or an evaporation tray (110′) is provided, with the condensatecollection tray (110′) or evaporation tray (110′) being arranged in afront region of the subassembly element (10) and/or in a region of thesubassembly element (10) accessible from the front.
 14. A subassemblyelement (10) in accordance with claim 3, wherein the subassembly element(10) is made such that the at least one condenser (50) can be pushed infrom the front side.
 15. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit havingat least one subassembly element (10) in accordance with claim
 1. 16. Arefrigerator and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 15, whereinthe refrigerator and/or freezer unit is a side-by-side unit.
 17. Arefrigerator and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 16 wherein theunits of the side-by-side unit arranged next to one another each havesubassembly elements (10); and the subassembly elements (10) are madeand/or can be used with mirror inversion with respect to one another.18. A subassembly element (10) in accordance with claim 2, wherein theheat exchanger (50, 50′) is a condenser (50, 50′), in particular aspiral condenser, a wire tube condenser made as a molded part or acoiled wire tube condenser.
 19. A subassembly element (10) in accordancewith claim 18, wherein the air guidance means expands to a receiverspace (16) for a compressor, with fastening means, in particularfastening receivers (17), being provided for the compressor in thereceiver space (16).
 20. A subassembly element (10) in accordance withclaim 3, wherein the air guidance means expands to a receiver space (16)for a compressor, with fastening means, in particular fasteningreceivers (17), being provided for the compressor in the receiver space(16).